LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 May 1922, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

, A sitting of the Native Land Court is at present being held in New Plymouth under the presidency of Judge Aicheson. There are about 380 cases set down for hearing.

Writes a country correspondent:—“lt is said that New Plymouth compels poultry keepers to provide more air space for tjheir fowls than the Education Department provides for the children in the New Plymouth schools.” Mary Sweeney was arrested in Devon Street, New Plymouth, about five o’clock last evening on two charges of using indecent language, one charge of using obscene language, and a fourth charge of assault. She will appear in Court this morning. In acknowledging receipt of information regarding next year’s estimates, the secretary of the Department of Health wrote to yesterday’s meeting of the Hospital Board: “I might congratulate you on the high proportion of patients’ fees collected and estimated in relation to the cost of hospital maintenance. The proportion is more than half, whereas few boards average onethird.”

The problem of finding work for the unemployed in the Taranaki district has been frequently placed -before the Government by Mr. S. G. Smith, M.P., with the suggestion that these men might be given work under the Public Works Department. Mr. Smith has now received information from the Minister of Public Works (Hon. J. G. Coates) that the resident engineer at Stratford has been instructed to employ twenty additional men.

The Supremo Court at New Plymouth yesterday dealt with a charge of alleged bookmaking against Herbert T. Allen, of New Plymouth., on which a verdict of not guilty was brought in. The hearing of a case of alleged assault concerning parties in the Midhirst district was proceeding when the Court rose till this morning. At the request of counsel for the accused the case in which George W. Clarke ; to be tried for alleged false pretences was set down to be ■heard on Tuesday next, after the completion of the trial of Rang! Maha (alleged manslaughter), which is to be begun that day.

The Minister of Education (Mr. Parr), speaking at Auckland, said hik ideal was the establishment of well-appointed schools in all parts of the Dominion. Such a programme would entail an expenditure. of about two millions sterling, but although progress toward this goal had been interrupted by the lack of means, he believed it was only a temporary halt. The expenditure on education in this country was heavy but no civilised people would grudge the money for this purpose. Hand in hand with the large development policy of railways, roads and hydro-electricity, must go the sound training of the chil-

The popularity of “Fairy Wonder” Dry Soup is due not so much to its value as a labor and fuel saver as to its efficiency in making and keeping the clothes a good color. That is the one thing more than any other that the average housewife takes pride in, and “Fairy” does the trick every time without the slightest injury either to hands or fabric

In resigning her position as district nurse at Uruti at the meeting of theHospital Board yesterday, Nnrse Deed

said there, was not sufficient work to keep her at Uruti. It was decided to communicate with the Uruti Nursing Association requesting them to appoint a day for the board to meet the association at Uruti to go into the position.

“Sometimes the police arrest a man if they think he needs a wash,” remarked His Honor Mr. Justice Reed in the Supreme Court at New Plymouth yesterday, when the question under discussion was whether the fact that a man had been in gaol could be regarded as casting a doubt on his credibility. Prior to His Honor’s comment counsel had remarked that vagrancy was a very wide term.

Rev. Charles Palmer, on ‘behalf of the Opunake District Nursing Association, wrote to yesterday’s meeting of the Taranaki Hospital Board: “I have pleasure in enclosing a cheque for £550, being a further contribution to the Opunafte cottage hospital. It is made up of donations as listed. There is still about £l4O which we hope to send shortly. I trust that the cottage hospital will prove to be a dutiful and affectionate daughter to the mother hospital in New Plymouth, and not prove a burden in. anxiety, but a useful little handmaid.” A vote of thanks to Mr. Palmer was carried, and the wish expressed that his impending trip abroad would be a pleasant one. A substantial meal for ninepence, costing lesS than that sum per head, is at present being served by the. girl pupils of the Ashburton Technical School to country children, attending classes. This fact was the subject of congratulatory remarks at a meeting of the School Board last week, the chairman declaring that the meals were fit for a king or queen. A statement was read by the chairman showing what the meals had cost to provide on two days chosen at random, and what the revenue had been. The stateffien't was as follows: —Lunch on May 9—Menu: Tomato soup, curried sausages, potatoes, cabbage and rice custard. Cost—Sausages ■2s 6d, potatoes 6d, cabbage 9d, carrots 2d, celery 2d, tomatoes 6d, milk Is 6d, rice 2d, eggs lOd, bread 3d, sugar and extras total, 7s 7£d. Revenue—thirteen pupils at 9d, 9s 9d. A similar return was given for luncheon on May 10. The total cost of materials was 7s 9d, and the return from 16 pupils at 9d was 12s. .

An endeavor is to be made to secure if possible a portion of the navy meat contracts for New Zealand. A cable message from London published on Friday staged that the Admiralty had decided to cease obtaining supplies from the Argentine, and will invite tenders for Australian and New Zealand meat on August 1. Mr. D. Jones, M.P., chairman of the Meat Control Board, stated that action had been taken by the board in this matter. Inquiries were being made from the Admiralty as to whether New Zealand producers could fulfil the requirements in respect of the contracts. It was hoped it would be found that the New Zealand producers would be able to supply mutton and beef to meet the requirements of the contracts, and that the Dominion would participate in the matter.

The stocking of the Wanganui River with quinnat salmon, which has been undertaken by the Government, will add largely to the interests of that fine river from a fisherman’s point of view. Mr. Ayfeon, who is in charge of the ■ work, has been asked by the Hawera Acclimatisation Society to undertake similar work in one of the Taranaki streams. These, being snow streams, are said to be very suitable if large enough, and the Kaupokonui is considered quite suitable. It is expected that some of the salmon will come round by sea from the Wanganui and go up other streams. It is therefore probable that in the course of time the Taranaki streams will have the added interest of salmon fishing. No further news of the yacht Raata (stolen at Auckland) has been received by the owner, Mr. William Standish. Shortly after the yacht was stolen he sent to H.M.S. Chatham a description of the missing vessel, but he has not received a reply. The loss of the Raata will be more expensive to Mr. Standish than he expected, as there will be the cost of recovering it if eventually found. He stated that he was informed by the police that he would have to lodge a bond for £lOO before they would take any action, and he understood the costs would end there. The craft, with theextra gear placed on board, had cost him £9OO, and he felt dubious about spending more money for her recovery without any guarantee that it would have the desired result.

Some years ago shipments of mandarins from. Fiji came to New Zealand regularly, but for some seasons past Island fruit has been restricted to oranges *= and bananas, and occasional consignments of tomatoes. This month, however, a consignment of mandarins came to an Auckland agent. A portion was forwarded to Wellington, and realised 18s 3d per (361 b. case. The Fiji mandarin, which is imported green, but colors nicely when taken out of the cooler, is larger and firmer fruit than that imported from Australia, and if regular consignments could be secured should be welcome in New Zealand at this time of the year. American oranges are fetching 40s and lemons 42s 6d per case, and importers say that even at such prices there is a very small margin of profit, if any. “It is ten years since I last visited England,” said Sir John Salmond, on his return to Wellington on Monday last, “but I was agreeably surprised, on my recent tour, to find so little change, externally. It is true they have immense taxation, and immense debt, and serious depression in the shipping industry, but, for all ’ that, I found the people much more contented than I expected to see.” Sir John Salmond was .astonished to find how keenly interested the people of the United. States were in us. He-added, “To them, the fact that a remote dependency of Great Britain had taken such an active part in the war was a revelation, and their admiration for us was increased when they saw that New Zealand was directly represented at the Washington Conference.” Entries for Uruti sale are advertised. Famous “Lily of France” pure silk stockings have been opened out at the Melbourne, Ltd., price 23/6 per pair. These goods are acknowledged, to be the very best obtainable, and the price quoted shows a distinct drop, as similar goods were retailed a few weeks ago at 35s a pair. Don’t hesitate to use Nazol freely, especially by constant inhalation. It protects the mouth, nose and throat from infection. Good for Coughs, Colds, Sore Throats, etc.